Golden rice tahdig with saffron: a crisp base, fluffy grains and a crust to share around the table.
Tahdig – the golden crust everyone waits for
On Persian rice, the fragrance of saffron and the art of making the bottom of the pot the highlight of the meal
First comes the scent of saffron. Then the sound of a spoon breaking through the crisp crust. Tahdig is the eagerly awaited bottom layer in a Persian pot of rice – a craft that brings fluffy grains and golden crunch to life at the same time. We follow the rice from the farmlands of the Caspian to the Nowruz table, and cook both saffron rice and herb-filled sabzi polo.
With recipeInjera and doro wat – Ethiopia’s shared plate
On a bed of soft injera, the heat of berbere meets fragrant spiced butter and onions given time to mellow. Doro wat is celebration food with deep roots in Ethiopia – but the story of the shared plate also embraces the plant-based cooking of fasting days, lovingly offered mouthfuls and the art of coaxing bubbles from a tiny grain.
With recipeThe kitchens of Topkapı – power, rice and a thousand layers
Beneath the tall chimneys of Topkapı Palace, ingredients from a vast empire became meals that both fed people and signalled rank. We follow the food from the kitchen fires to the court’s tables and Ramadan’s baklava trays – and cook imam bayıldı, a dish whose fame is better documented than the story of the fainting imam.
With recipeJollof – West Africa’s Pride in Rice
Red rice, the warm scent of peppers and a pot with enough to go around. Jollof brings West Africa together as naturally as it sparks friendly arguments over who cooks it best. We explore the dish’s contested history, get to know Nigerian party jollof and cook a generous platter with sweet fried plantain.
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With recipePaella valenciana – a celebration of rice by Albufera
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